Computers and other electronic products, e.g., digital televisions, digital cameras, and cellular phones, usually have a memory device with numerous memory cells to store data and other information. Some conventional memory devices may store information based on the amount of charges on a storage node of the memory cell. Different values of the charge on the storage node may represent different values (e.g., binary values “0” and “1”) of the information stored in the memory cell. The storage node usually includes semiconductor material such as silicon.
Some other conventional memory devices, e.g., phase change memory devices, may store information based on a resistance state (instead of the amount of charge) of a memory element of the memory cell. The memory element may include a phase change material, which may be written (e.g., programmed) to change between different phases (e.g., crystalline and amorphous phases). Different phases of the material may cause the memory cell to have different resistance states to represent different values of the information stored in the memory cell.
The memory cell in these memory devices, e.g., phase change memory devices, often includes an access component to allow access to the memory element. In some cases, the material of the access component and the material of the memory element may have different process temperature tolerances. Therefore, producing some conventional memory devices may pose fabrication process challenges.